The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-20
MOZARrS DON JUAN.
One Hundredth Anniversary of the Chef
D'Oeuvre of the Greatest of Composers.

eperatic stage. Mozart an immense, pro-
3igious genius who went against all the forms
of art, who in all produced the cnefs-d'oeuvre,
and who died before he was thirty-seven, has
not left less than 500 compositions all told 'Don
Juan" work without rival, without equal IN the
history of art. chef d'oeuvre, of a radiant
beauty, incompatible, without spot, without a
weakness, and of a strength. a nobility, purity
that nerves equally the artist and the amateur,
he who can analyze its beauties and he who can
but feel them! Mozart is the master Of masters,
and Don Juan" is the expression the most COM
plete, the most finished of this genius. who. like
our Moliere. viii perhaps never have success
or. Still, this genius himself was fearful and
often doubtful of himself. and it is precisely
apropos of this admirable Don JUAN
that Mozart told his fears to a
friend several days before its appear
ance 1t was to the leader of the orchestra,
Kucharz, who had the direction of the opera at
the theater in Prague. and, during the prone
made they made in common, at the end of one OF
the last rehearsals, the master confided to him
bis doubts. my friend" said he to him. Il beg
you to give me your opinion in all sincerity.
Tell me, frankly. what you think of my new
work, and tell me, above all, you think it
can obtain much success as has my Marriage
of Figaro which is much different in style and
character"
do not doubt either your work or the public,
my dear MASTER replied Kucharz. Emusic so
deeply original. score of such perfect beauty,
and so luminous, cannot fail to produce inn
mense impression Besides, you know to what
point they adore you here, and you do not ignore
that everything that comes from your pen is
cheered in advance and received like the mamma
from heaven"
you assure me, my friend said Mozart.
'for avow TO you that 1 was not without great
rnisgivings; and STILL know it well, whatever may
happen can tell you that 1 have not spared
my forces nor pains to give in this work all that
is possible to give"
And he added these memorable words
''They deceive themselves, my dear Kucharz,
when they believe that my art has become easy
to me and ali the pain it costs me to compose is
to write. On the contrary. has given
himself more trouble than 1 TO learn. and there
is not master of any value whose work have
not long and patiently studied"
That confession. coming from such an artist
is it not precious to recordl
Mozart thirty years old; he had
strewn the way with innumerablec hefs-d'oeuvre
he was celebrated in all Europe half dozen of
his operas had been given. among which were
.sIdomenie, ".L' enterementa Serail' (the Elope-
ment from the Harem1 and the Marriage of
Figaro" when he came to Prague to write his
Don juan That work pledge of his
gratefulness and affection for the city of Prague
which had received so enthusiastically his
Figaro p and which had received him with indie
scribable assurances of admiration.
In the month of February, 1887. the young
master had left Vienna to come to the capital of
Bohemia. upon the invitation of an old friend of
his father, the Count of Thun who had urged
him to come in person and enjoy the immense
success that the public had given to his MAR
rage of Figaro"
Mozart reached Prague in the midst of that
fever, and imagine how happy he was. From
the time of his arrival he was urged to go to
of the performances of his chef-d' oeuvre, and
when after the overture the noise of his
presence had extended over the theatre, the pub
lie wished to see him, bursts of applause
forced repetition of many of the numbers
during the course of the evening Then from
could not go out make stop without hearing
in the streets, in the drinking shops, on the
promenades upon all sides, played or hummed
some number. some motif. some fragment of his
fortunate Figaro" 1t was this that caused him
TO write to his friend Joaquin: Here, my
friend, they talk only OF Figaro they play
Figaro Figaro here Figaro there, it is only
the question of the eternal Figaro
Himself touched by these expressions of such
ardent sympathy, Mozart did not hesitate to say
that he would be happy to write expressly
opera for public who knew so well how to
comprehend and to estimate him SO highly. It
swas to the director of the theatre the impre-
sario Bondlni. that he said this in confidence
He. that the Marriage of Figaro" had so well
established his AFFAIRS, dIQ not ask him TO 1t
a second time. An intelligent artist, and under
standing that it would be fortune for him,
new work of Mozart given and offered the
public with the that he gave to all things,
he took the master at his word and at
made him sign contract by which he promised
TO him the of hundred ducats to deliver
to him new score for the beginning of the fol-
lowing season
Mozart had also in his pocket. on returning
from Vienna, contract that formally compelled
him to write it. 1t is right to say that he was
for from haxyJ QOppf aha R11fi
necessary for him to find at a good
libretto, and he believed that he was not able to
de better than to ask it of the poet who had fur
nished. thanks to Beaumarchais that of the
Marriage of Figaro" While Du Ponte
was writing the verses of ''Don
Giovanen." Mozart was struck with
him. He received almost at the time. the
news of the illness and death of his father,
whom he loved with an affection the most ten
der and deep. 1t was for his heart veritable
destruction. When he had finished his score
he intended to go back to Prague, where he had
promised himself to watch ard direct in person
the studies of his new opera He started with
mis- wife and young son. The troupe of Bon
dini without being troupe of the first order,
was. however, composed of distinguished artists
to which the habit of playing together gave
strength ard cohesion, and it offered to Mozart
excellent elements for the production of his
work. One can believe that the master utilized
these elements and made the best of them
possible. The hero OF the piece, Don Juan.
sung by young artist, twenty-five years old,
the baritone Luigi BaSSl, endowed Win u superb
voice, and who later became celebrated all
Europe; the unfortunate Donna Anna had for
an interpreter Signora Teresa Saporite; one of
the most beautiful voices, soprano sfogato,
that they then had. The Signora Catarina
Nicoli who had chaste and expressive talent.
personifed the tender Elvira- and the seduc-
tive Zerlina was represented by the wife of the
director, Nine. Teresa Bondini. An excellent
basso buffo. Felize Ponziani sang Leporello:
pleasant tenor, Antonio Bagliani played Don
Ottavio; finally the two roles of Don Pedro and
Massetto were played by the same artist,
Giuseppe Lolh Mozart directed in person the
studies and the rehearsals. Not only at the
theater for he often went to houses of the
singers to give them counsel and to show them
how to sing such and such passage, or to give
them his IDEA of the respective characters,
showing the difficulties of finishing the details
and the perfection of the ensemble thus obtain
ing from them all that he wished. thanks to his
eayety to his good humor and cordialty. In the
midst of all this preparatory work he did not